| System and method for grouping data -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
 
System and method for grouping dataRelated Patent Categories: Data Processing: Presentation Processing Of Document, Operator Interface Processing, And Screen Saver Display Processing, Presentation Processing Of Document, Display ProcessingSystem and method for grouping data description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060143563, System and method for grouping data. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND [0001] A collection of data may include a number of groups of data. For example, a computer file may include a number of categories of data. Each category of data may further include sub-categories of data. A computer processor may output the data according to the categories and sub-categories via an output device. [0002] For example, a computer memory may include a plurality of records. Each of the records may include data pertaining to a number of categories. The computer processor may arrange the data in a table, where each row may correspond to a particular record, and each column may correspond to a particular category. A number of columns may further correspond to a main category, so that the category to which each of the number of columns corresponds is a sub-category of the main category. The processor may output the table in any conventional manner. For example, the processor may output the table for display on a computer monitor, or transmit the table to a printer to print out the table. The grouping of the data into columns may identify the individual categories of information to a user. However, the column groupings do not identify which groups of columns belong to a particular main category. [0003] It is conventional to include in a computer program, code for color-coding the columns according to main categories to which the columns belong. For example, when executing the code, the processor may group together and highlight in one color columns that belong to one main category, and may group together and highlight in a different color columns that belong to a different main category. [0004] However, if the computer program is configured to run on one operating system and is then run on a different operating system, the program may display the columns with the wrong colors. For example, the program may display all columns with the same color, and may therefore fail to identify which groups of columns belong to a particular main category. [0005] A user may search for data elements within groups of data that match particular search criteria. For example, the user may search for matches to a particular data string within the columns of data. As a result of the search, the processor may highlight all matching data elements, e.g., records including data within the searched columns that match the search criteria. To find the matching data elements, the user may scan the searched columns for all highlighted data elements. However, especially where a column includes a very large amount of data so that the user must scroll to see all of the data, it may be difficult for the user to find all of the matching data elements. The user may even mistakenly overlook some highlighted data. [0006] It is conventional for the processor to provide a list of only the subset of records that include the matching data elements. However, to ascertain how the list of the subset of records relates to the original list of records, the user must perform a line-by-line comparison. [0007] It is also conventional for a computer application to provide a way to sort columns by particular values, e.g., alphabetically. If each row of a column would include only one value that includes a single string, then the processor would group together all rows including a matching data string since the rows all include a data string that is positioned in the same way according to the sort. However, if rows include more than one value or more than one string, then rows including a matching string might not be grouped together. For example, the user may instruct the processor to sort records so that data of a particular column is alphabetically arranged. The user may search the column for records that include the string, "United States." A record that includes the string "Canada, United States" as the data corresponding to the searched column will not be grouped together with a record that includes the string "United States" as the data corresponding to the searched column. [0008] Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a system and method for grouping data to identify categories of data and sub-categories of data in a platform-independent manner, and to aid a user in identifying data that match search criteria. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] FIG. 1 is a block diagram that illustrates components of an example system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [0010] FIG. 2 is a flowchart that illustrates an example procedure for displaying a table according to data relationships, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [0011] FIG. 3 is a screenshot of an example window displayed according to data relationships, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [0012] FIG. 4 is a flowchart that illustrates an example procedure for providing results to a search instruction, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [0013] FIG. 5 is a screenshot of an example window displayed in response to receiving a search instruction, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [0014] FIG. 6 is a screenshot of a search criteria entry form, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [0015] FIG. 7 is a screenshot of an example window in which all matching records are highlighted in a selected column, according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0016] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a computer system and method that determines a way in which to group, display, and highlight data. Embodiments further relate to a computer system and method that determines a type of divider to display between two groups of data based on a relationship between the two groups of data, and that groups together data that satisfy search criteria. The embodiments particularly, though not exclusively, relate to data of an administration tool of a search engine. [0017] FIG. 1 is a block diagram that illustrates components of an example system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Data files may be stored in a memory 100. The data files may include data 101 and metadata 102. Metadata 102 may include information regarding the interrelationships between data elements of data 101, e.g., the interrelationships between pairs of datasets. A processor 110 may output the data 101 via an output device 115, e.g., a computer monitor, printer, or any other conventional output device, according to the metadata 102. For example, the processor 110 may display on the computer monitor 115 a table, where each column includes a corresponding dataset of data 101. The processor 110 may determine based on the metadata 102 which columns of data to adjacently display and which of several types of graphical demarcations to display to separate the columns. [0018] The processor 110 may determine a category and main category to which each of a number of datasets of data 101 and their corresponding columns belong. The processor 110 may group together columns of a single main category so that they are adjacently displayed. The processor 110 may display a first type of column divider between two columns that are of the same main category, and a second type of column divider between two columns that are of different main categories. [0019] FIG. 2 is a flowchart that illustrates an example procedure executed by a processor to display a table according to an embodiment of the present invention. In 200, the processor may receive an instruction to provide data in a table, where each column of the table corresponds to a dataset. In 202, the processor may retrieve the data to be provided. In 204, the processor may retrieve metadata that includes information about the interrelationships between datasets of the retrieved data. In 206, based on the metadata, the processor may determine which datasets are of a single main category. In 208, based on the determination in 206, the processor may determine which columns to adjacently display, e.g., columns that include datasets of a single main category. In 210, based on the determination in 206, the processor may determine which type of graphical demarcations to display between each pair of columns that are to be adjacently displayed. In 212, the processor may display the table according to the determinations in 208 and 210. [0020] An example system to which the present invention may be applied is that of a search engine administration tool. The search engine may obtain documents and store them in one or more document queues, e.g., as document queue files. The search engine may store the files in the memory 100 of FIG. 1. The search engine may index a document of a queue, e.g., based on terms within the document, the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of the document, or anything else upon which it is conventional to base an index. The search engine may store one or more indices in the memory 100, for example, as a file. The search engine may implement an administration tool computer program to control the administration of the document queues and the indexing of the documents. The processor 110 may perform the tasks of the administration tool. The processor 110 may receive the documents, arrange the documents in files, store the files in the memory 100, retrieve documents from the document queues, parse the documents, index the documents, etc. [0021] The processor 110 may output data of the administration tool via the output device 115. For example, the processor 110 may display on the computer monitor 115 a table, where each row relates to a corresponding document of a particular document queue or of all document queues, and where each column, representing a particular category of data, includes data of or about the listed documents. Continue reading about System and method for grouping data... Full patent description for System and method for grouping data Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this System and method for grouping data patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like System and method for grouping data or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: System and method for author-driven template switching in the development and modification of web pages Next Patent Application: Automated spell analysis Industry Class: Data processing: presentation processing of document ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the System and method for grouping data patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.15611 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Novartis , Pfizer , Philips , Polaroid , Procter & Gamble , 174 |
 * Protect your Inventions * US Patent Office filing 
PATENT INFO |
|
